Haitian Literature: Edwidge Danticat

Edwidge Danticat

(Karp, Cindy. [Photo of Edwidge Danticat]. Retreived from http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/d/edwidge_danticat/index.html)

What are our learning goals?

• learn a little about the history of Haiti
• learn about Edwidge Danticat
• read an essay Danticat wrote after the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti
• read Danticat's short story "Ghosts"
• create a Glogster that represents one of the characters in the short story

North Carolina Standard Course of Study

• 1.02 Respond reflectively (through small group discussion, class discussion, journal entry, essay, letter, dialogue) to written and visual texts
• 1.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus
• 2.01 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus
• 4.01 Interpret a real-world event
• 5.01 Read and analyze selected works of world literature
• 5.02 Demonstrate increasing comprehension and ability to respond personally to texts
• 5.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print literacy texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus

Assignment	Due Date	Assessment
Watch a video about the history of Haiti	Day 1	Your classmates and I will read your discussion question response and your responses to classmates.
Read Danticat's MacArthur Fellows Bio	Day 1	Your classmates and I will read your discussion question response and your responses to classmates.
Read Danticat's "A Little While"	Day 1	You will respond to the essay in your Penzu journal.
Read Danticat's "Ghosts"	Day 2	You and a partner will work together to create and present a Glog based on one of the characters in the short story.

Let's learn a little about the history of Haiti.

• What do you know about the history of Haiti?
• What are some of Haiti's greatest accomplishments?
• Why is Haiti now the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere?

Step 1:
Please watch this short video on the history of Haiti at http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9577912

Step 2:
Please answer the following discussion question on the history of Haiti. Be sure to read and respond to at least three other students.



Let's learn about Edwidge Danticat.

• Who is Edwidge Danticat?
• Does she live in Haiti?
• Did she go to college?
• Is she a famous writer?
• What kind of writer is she?
• What is her writing style?

Step 1:
Please click on the image of Edwidge Danticat below to read her 2009 MacArthur Fellows introduction.

Image retrieved from http://www.macfound.org/site/c.lkLXJ8MQKrH/b.5458007/k.8D4C/Edwidge_Danticat.htm

Step 2:
Please answer the following discussion question on Danticat's Bio. Be sure to read and respond to at least three other students.



Let's read an essay Danticat wrote after the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti.

• Did Edwidge Danticat's family in Haiti survive the earthquake?
• Did they tell her what it was like there after the earthquake?
• How do authors use writing to help them deal with personal problems and tragedies?

Step 1:
On February 1, 2010, The New Yorker published a post-earthquake essay from Danticat titled "A Little While." Please read this essay.

Step 2:
Access your Penzu journal and write a personal reflection on this essay.

Let's read Danticat's short story "Ghosts."

• Do Haitian people believe in ghosts?
• What are some of the spiritual beliefs and practices of Haitians?
• What does this short story reveal about Haitian history and culture?
• How does Edwidge Danticat develop the characters in this short story?

Step 1:
On November 24, 2008, The New Yorker published Danticat's short story "Ghosts" Please read the short story.

Step 2:
Please choose a partner and develop a Glog that describes and analyzes one of the characters from "Ghosts." We will share these Glogs at the beginning of the next class. We will evaluate these glogs using the poster rubric.

Go to Glogster!

For Further Study
If you want to know more about Edwidge Danticat, you can watch her TED talk: